1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a traction device for an extremity of a patient. More particularly, the invention is directed to a traction device adapted to support a patient's heel and reduce heel and malleolar pressure while the patient's leg is in traction.
2. Description of the Related Art
Standard treatments of fractures of the femur include preoperative elevation on a pillow and preoperative traction. Traction typically involves skin traction by attaching to the sides of the leg a skin-tolerant device, which is then attached to a rope passing over a pulley to a weight of up to about ten pounds (about 4.5 kg or about 45 N). This type of traction is often referred to as “Buck's” traction. Skin traction devices may be applied to the skin in various ways, such as a “moleskin” held on the leg with elastic wraps. However, because of skin irritation, skin traction can typically be tolerated for only a few days until some other method (usually surgery) is used to stabilize the fracture.
Current skin traction techniques do not prevent foot drop, which is caused by relaxation and weakening of the muscles controlling the foot. Furthermore, current skin traction techniques do not elevate the heel in a manner that inhibits the development of heel or lateral malleolar pressure ulcers, to which patients with fractures of the femur are at very high risk. The incidence of such ulcers can be reduced by ensuring the transfer of pressure from the heel to the calf. Inflatable heel pressure-relieving devices are commercially available that are equipped with simple hooks on their foot portions for attachment of a traction rope. However, these devices do not provide adequate skin friction to hold the devices in place when a full traction load (e.g., about ten pounds) is applied, and therefore are inadequate to prevent heel pressure and lateral malleolar pressure. These devices also fail to provide adequate foot drop support. Also commercially available are convoluted and smooth foam traction devices that use non-removable, fixed traction straps. However, these devices do not provide means for elevating the heel to avoid heel pressure.
Various other leg traction equipment are known in the art, including U.S. Pat. No. 5,718,669 to Marble, U.S. Pat. No. 5,002,046 to Scott, U.S. Pat. No. 3,804,774 to Howard, U.S. Pat. No. 3,804,085 to Eshuis et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 3,780,731 to Quello. These patents generally disclose traction devices adapted to apply traction tension at the calf instead of the foot or ankle. Scott provides a support intended to avoid pressure sores at the heel, and Eshuis et al. disclose a boot-type device that provides support for avoiding foot-drop.
In view of the above, there remains a need for a traction device that is capable of adequately supporting the heel to avoid foot drop, relieve heel pressure to avoid heel or lateral malleolar pressure ulcers, while also being capable of transmitting full traction loads of up to ten pounds to the patient's leg.